IOW 2020 - Day 5: A Train Ryde to Shanklin

The summation of today is a wet and windy walk.

It was our final day on the Isle of Wight so the day started early with the need to be out of Harry’s Hut by 9am. Due to enhanced Covid-19 prevention measures, check-out has been moved forward to allow more time for cleaning, but luckily we had a text from the owner just before 8am saying there was no rush to be away, so with a more relaxed approach it was just after 9.30am that we were all packed up and the kids in the car. As mentioned earlier in the week we really liked the accommodation and it was just a shame that due to the weather we were unable to use any of the outside space.

Harry's Hut was a great place to stay.

Instead of just heading home we decided when booking to make the most of our time on the island so had the full day ahead before catching the 7pm ferry back to the mainland. One of the draws to visiting the Isle of Wight was to have a last opportunity to travel on the old 1938 class 483 tube stock on the Island Line network from Ryde to Shanklin before retirement in early 2021, so we headed across the island to Ryde Esplanade to park the car for the day before travelling the full length of the line southbound to Shanklin. As you can probably imagine for trains that celebrated their 80th birthday recently they are showing signs of their age and despite numerous refurbishments, it was a rather bumpy ride.

On the Island Line train, passing one of the old units at Ryde St. Johns Road depot.

At the end of the line in Shanklin station.

The trains get no rest, after just 5 minutes it's back to Ryde Pier Head.

We have found a great way to explore places in the UK by foot with the kids is to complete a Treasure Trails mystery whilst walking. Most towns and cities have at least one available and the £10 cost is repaid by the kids being keen to find the next clue instead of just complaining about walking! The 2.5mile circular trail started in the Old Town and took in parks, the Chine area (although not through the Chine itself), cliff top and beachfront, before finishing back close to where we started. Once again, and just like yesterday, the British weather wasn’t playing ball and despite starting the trail in overcast conditions it was very much raining by the time we made it to the end. At least for most of this week the forecast had predicted the wind and rain, but today was supposed to be dry!

On the Treasure Trail, hedding down from the cliff to the beach.

Cold and wet on Shanklin beach.

Paloma getting a lift back up the hill!

Walking back through the town centre heading for the station we popped into the famous Jurassic Jim fossil shop and despite plans “just to have a look”, Forrest spent the last of his saved up pocket money on a mosasaurus tooth to add to his growing fossil collection. The shop assistant was very friendly and gave both Forrest and Paloma a little gift as he was so impressed with their dinosaur themed outfits!

It was then time to get back on the Island Line train, this time to the northern terminus of the line at Ryde Pier Head. Had the weather been better we would have walked back to the Esplanade, but with the rain now fully set in we stayed on the train for the trip back down the pier. Walking to the car we passed the Hovercraft Terminal just as one was arriving and departing across the sandbanks and this fascinated the kids. Forrest has already decided he wants to do a trip back here just so he can go on a hovercraft!

Back on the train, trying to dry out a little bit.

I'm sure these trains were rarely this quiet on the Bakerloo, Northern, Piccadilly, East London and Central lines during their previous lives in London.

On the pier at Ryde Pier Head.

A hovercraft arriving across Ryde Sands.

Waiting for the second hovercraft to leave for Southsea.

All that was left was the short drive from Ryde to Fishbourne for the Wightlink ferry. We had booked a table at The Fishbourne pub adjacent to the ferry terminal and had a nice meal before catching the ferry to Portsmouth. Just like Day 1 our promise to the kids of a Costa hot chocolate, this time from the onboard branch on our ferry St Clare, was not possible since it was shut (which I was surprised about considering how busy the sailing was)! Fortunately, there is a Costa very close to our Premier Inn at Port Solent, so unless that is also unexpectedly closed in the morning, we’ll head there for breakfast before the drive back up the A3 to High Wycombe.

So that’s it for this trip. We enjoyed visiting the Isle of Wight, but late October is probably (no, make that definitely), not the best time to visit for the weather! There are a few attractions that we didn’t get an opportunity to visit, such as the Shanklin Chine that we couldn’t fit in today, so perhaps we’ll return for a few days next year once the “new” class 484 trains are up and operational, just not at October halfterm.

Blogged by Matt.